Special Topics

Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 1. Buddhism does not advocate for idolatry, so why would people still make Buddha statues and even prostrate to them?

Prostrating to the Buddha is the first step for every Buddhist who is embarking on Buddhist practice. However, do the Buddha and Bodhisattvas really require us to prostrate? When should we prostrate to the Buddha, and how many prostrations are appropriate? Through this Q&A, let us find out the real meaning of prostrating to the Buddha.

1. Buddhism does not advocate for idolatry, so why would people still make Buddha statues and even prostrate to them?

Legend has it that the first Buddha statue was made while the Buddha was still alive. When the Buddha ascended to Trayastrimsa Heaven (Heaven of the Thirty-Three Gods) to preach the Dharma for his mother, Maha Maya, he was absent from the earthly world for approximately three months. During that period, Buddha’s monastic and lay disciples missed him and his teachings very much. As a result, King Udayana asked the craftsmen to carve a statue of the Buddha, which, after completion, was a five-foot-high statue of the Buddha made from Candana wood. Every day thereafter, King Udayana prostrated to the statue just as if Buddha were still around, traveling and giving teachings to those in need.

Approximately 100 years after Buddha's Parinirvana, people began to use various objects as symbols for the Buddha, including the Dharma wheel, Bodhi Tree, Stupas, etc. These objects were used as aids to recollect the merits and virtues of Buddha.
 
Master Sheng Yen mentioned in several of his books ---such as Orthodox Chinese Buddhism and The Wisdom of Chan-- that there is nothing wrong with many Buddhists worshiping the Buddha statues as deities. As the Dharmakaya of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas is all-pervading, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will respond to whoever asks for help. However, this is only the stage of "belief". From the perspective of correct Buddhist belief and Buddhist practice, Buddha statues are only tools to help Buddhists in their practice.

When we prostrate, we should do it as if we are in the presence of the Buddha. Whether the Buddha statue is made of wood, bronze, or clay, it should be used as a reminder to practice, which can help us recollect the great vows of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas and their various teachings. Thus the true meaning of prostrating to the Buddha is to remind us to practice with diligence and courage at all times and to consider the Buddha and Bodhisattvas as role models on the path to enlightenment. Therefore, the practice itself does not lie in prostrating to the Buddha statue, but in self-reflection that arises through devotion, making our body and mind purer, gentler, and more humble.


Extended Reading:

Prostration: Paying Homage to the Buddha

Common Buddhist Etiquette

Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 1. Buddhism does not advocate for idolatry, so why would people still make Buddha statues and even prostrate to them?

Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 2. If we do not have a Buddhist altar or a Buddha statue at home, then towards which direction should we prostrate?

Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 3. When is the appropriate time to make prostrations to the Buddha? How many prostrations should one perform?

Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 4. Are the objects to which Buddhists prostrate only limited to Buddha statues?

Common Qs and As on the Practice of Prostrating to the Buddha - 5. Can prostrating to the Buddha eliminate karmic obstacles?

Prostrating to the Buddha to Train the Body and Cultivate the Mind

Prostrating to the Buddha and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness

Practice Method of Prostrating to the Buddha

Resource: Issue 347 of Life Magazine, Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Photos: Issue 347 of Life Magazine, Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Translation: 可維
Editing: Bright Su, Keith Brown